# Add DNS records · GoDaddy

<!-- external-screenshot: GoDaddy → My Products → Domain → DNS → Add New Record -->

When you add a sending domain to Bird, the domain's detail page in the Bird dashboard lists every DNS record to publish, each with a copyable host and value. Keep that page open in one tab and GoDaddy in another — every value below is copied straight from Bird, never typed by hand.

![A domain's DNS Records page in the Bird dashboard, showing the verified DKIM record with copyable name and value, and the return-path and DMARC sections below](/images/docs/dashboard-email-domain-detail.png)

## The records you'll add

| Type  | Host                                | Value (copy from Bird)     |
| ----- | ----------------------------------- | -------------------------- |
| TXT   | `<selector>._domainkey.example.com` | Your DKIM key              |
| CNAME | `send.example.com`                  | `<region>.bounce.bird.com` |
| TXT   | `_dmarc.example.com`                | Your DMARC policy          |
| CNAME | `links.example.com` (optional)      | `<region>.links.bird.com`  |

The tracking CNAME (`links`) is optional — it only enables branded open and click tracking, not sending itself.

## Add the records in GoDaddy

1. Log in to [GoDaddy](https://www.godaddy.com) and open **My Products**.
2. Find your domain in the list and click **DNS** (or click the domain, then choose the **DNS** tab).
3. Click **Add New Record**.
4. For the DKIM record: set **Type** to **TXT**, enter the host's subdomain part (everything before your domain, for example `<selector>._domainkey`) in **Name**, paste the DKIM value from Bird into **Value**, and set **TTL** to **600 seconds** (the lowest option). GoDaddy caps how much text a single TXT value accepts — if it rejects the paste, run the value through the [DNS record splitter](/tools/dns-record-splitter) to get chunks it will take. Click **Save**.
5. Click **Add New Record** again. For the return-path record: set **Type** to **CNAME**, enter `send` in **Name**, paste the target from Bird (for example `<region>.bounce.bird.com`) into **Value**, and set **TTL** to **600 seconds**. Click **Save**.
6. Click **Add New Record** again. For the DMARC record: set **Type** to **TXT**, enter `_dmarc` in **Name**, paste the DMARC value from Bird into **Value**, and set **TTL** to **600 seconds**. Click **Save**.
7. If you want branded tracking, add the optional tracking record the same way as step 5: **Type** **CNAME**, **Name** `links`, **Value** `<region>.links.bird.com`. Click **Save**.

## GoDaddy-specific gotchas

- **The Name field is relative to your domain.** Enter `send`, not `send.example.com` — GoDaddy appends the domain for you, and entering the full name publishes `send.example.com.example.com`. Use `@` only when a record belongs at the domain root (none of Bird's records do).
- **Pick the lowest TTL.** GoDaddy defaults to a 1-hour TTL; choosing **600 seconds** means any typo you fix is re-checked within minutes instead of an hour, which speeds up verification.
- **Remove conflicting "Parked" records.** Domains that have never hosted anything often carry GoDaddy's parking records. If an existing record sits at the same name as one you are adding (especially a CNAME at `send` or `links`), delete the parked record first — DNS does not allow a CNAME to coexist with another record at the same name.

## After you publish

Bird checks your DNS automatically — verification usually completes within minutes of the records going live, and you can trigger an immediate re-check from the domain's detail page. If the domain stays pending longer than expected, see [Verification delays](/docs/knowledge-base/dns-and-domains/verification-delays).

## Next steps

- [Sending domains](/docs/guides/email/sending-domains)
- [DKIM, SPF & DMARC](/docs/guides/email/dkim-spf-dmarc)
- [Verification delays](/docs/knowledge-base/dns-and-domains/verification-delays)